Until Next Time [COMPLETE]

Chapter 24

The chilly outdoor air sharply stung my throat as I sprinted through the streets of London, my breath heightening with every stride. A clumsily written note stayed behind for Blake, who was still showering when I rushed out of the apartment.

"Emergency. You know where to find me."

Blake didn't live far from the hospital so I didn't have much farther to go. With his leather jacket closed tightly around me, so many thoughts began pulsating through my mind. Was this it? This could quite possibly be the end of the battle. Today could be that day.

I burst through the heavy glass doors and broke through a crowd of people to get where I was going, not paying attention to anything else around me. The familiar smell of the hospital pinched my nose and made my stomach twist into an endless knot. I choked down the aroma and sped as fast as I could up the stairs, nearly breaking down the door to the third floor.

I stood with my hands on my hips, trying to catch my breath as I scanned the busy area for Jace. When I finally spotted him, he was pacing the floor outside mom's room; his arms tightly crossed over his chest and his face hardened.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked as I rushed up to him. "We should be in there with her-"

"Shaiyna, wait, we can't go in," Jace held me back by my arm as I began heading for the door. He narrowed his eyebrows as he examined the jacket I was wearing. "Where the hell did you get this? Where have you been?"

I abruptly pulled my arm away from him and smoothed out the creases he had made in the leather. 

"Just- never mind," I answered him defensively. "A better question would be why aren't we allowed in?!"

Jace sighed heavily as his eyes darted up to the ceiling as if contemplating his answer.

"Because," he began. "When mom woke up she wasn't in...the best state of mind."

"What the hell does that mean, Jace?" My frustration was now shining through with his vague response.

He opened his mouth to answer when suddenly, as if on queue, a heart-wrenching, pain-filled scream came from behind her door. I could feel all the color drain from my face as I knew instantly it was my mother.

"Oh my God, what are they doing to her?!" I hurried again toward the door but Jace quickly stood in front of me blocking my way, holding me by my arms.

"They're trying to help her Shaiyna!" he continued to tightly hold onto me while I struggled to get free from him. "You have to understand that when she woke up, she was very distraught, confused and hysterical."

My eyes began to pinch with tears when a nurse came suddenly running out of the room. I was able to see inside for a brief moment while the heavy door slowly began to close.

"We need to let them do their job," Jace continued while holding onto me, but I couldn't bring myself to listen to him.

There were so many people surrounding the bed and talking I could hardly see my mom. All I could see was her struggling and trying to push them away; breaking my heart with every passing second.

"I need my daughter!" My mom screamed, rendering me momentarily frozen.

Jace's mouth hung open in shock as he looked down at me, and I was suddenly possessed with a strength I didn't know I had. I forcefully pulled myself out of his grip and rushed for the door, swinging it back open.

"Mom!" I called as I ran toward the bed, pushing everyone out of my way to get to her.

"What are you doing!" Jace yelled after me in a panic-stricken voice.

When I reached her, her face was completely pale and her cheeks were sunken in like a corpse. Her eyes were bulging out in sheer panic and she struggled and gasped for air.

"Mom," I gripped her hand tightly to steady her, lowering myself to her level. "Mom, please, tell me what happened."

"Who let this girl in here?" A man in a white coat standing at the end of the bed bellowed to the room of people, but I paid no attention to him.

My mom slowly rolled her head over toward me, looking straight in my eyes.

"Shaiyna..." she gasped, barely able to produce the word.

"Yes Mom, it's me." I held her hand in both of mine and squeezed. "Please, tell me what happened to you!"

"She's going into Cardiac Arrest. We need to get her in surgery immediately." The doctor forcefully instructed to the room of staff. "And get this girl out of here!"

They began to roll the bed toward the door as two other people tried to pull me away from her, but I resisted as hard as I possibly could while my hand began slowly slipping away from hers.

"Mom, please!" I screamed frantically, praying she would give me something. Anything.

They stopped the bed briefly while someone went to open the door to get her through.

"Shaiyna..." she breathed softly. "Your father, he..." She squeezed my hand gently with all the strength she had. "It's not what it seems."

I watched in slow motion as her hand fell from mine and laid limp alongside the bed. Her eyes never parted from mine before she was rushed out of the room, several people running alongside the bed to the elevator.

They left me standing alone in the empty room, the noise slowing dying down and my thoughts racing a million miles a minute. I could do nothing at that moment but stare at the white speckled tiles of the floor, with only those words on repeat in my head.

"It's not what it seems. It's not what it seems."

"Have you lost your mind?!" Jace hissed at me as he stomped into the room, anxiously running his hand through his hair. "At this rate, they're not going to let you back here!"

"What was she talking about Jace?" I asked him in a deep murmur, not once looking up from the floor. "What's not what it seems?"

He had gone completely silent and I could hear him taking in a deep, hollow breath.

"I have no idea," his answer was flat and lifeless.

When I finally looked up at him, his face had been wiped of the anger from a moment ago and replaced with a pale wash of grief. I waited a moment to see if he would possibly come up with something more, but he said nothing.

"Well, I'm done trying to guess what's been going on here." I scoffed at him sharply as I turned to leave.

Jace snapped his head around quickly. "What are you talking about? Where are you going?"

"Why?" I spun around to face him again. "So you can just run and tell daddy?"

I watched as his face began to fall and his eyes filled with hurt. I left him standing there and hurried as fast as I could away and out of his sight. 

I had reached a point where nothing was moving me but adrenaline. Like a racehorse wearing blinders, I was focused on nothing but the path in front of me and moving as quickly as I could. I was done playing these games with my father. I was tired of the secrets. Tired of the lies. I was prepared to get answers from him and settle this. Once and for all.

The coolness of outside hadn't touched my skin for more than a moment when I felt a sudden tender hold on my hand, breaking me from the deep trance.

"Hey, hey, hey." It was Blake, trying to slow me down as he spun me around and gently pulled me toward him. He lightly pushed my hair behind my ears and stared at me with concerned eyes. "What's going on?"

I looked at him blankly with my jaw hanging, unsure of how to articulate everything that had just happened and where I was headed. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head trying to push aside my overwhelming thoughts enough to speak.

"Look, I-" I stammered, getting lost in his eyes that always had the means to calm me. "Can you take me somewhere? Please? I can explain on the way."